Tennis-court marker.



M. E. MELTON. TENNIS coum MARKER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-3. I915.

Patented Apr. 25, 1916.

MAX EUGENE MELTON, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT 033 COLUMIBIA, ASSIGNOR T0 CHARLES K. FINCKEL, OF VIASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

TENNIS-COUR-T MARKER.

Application filed August 3, 1915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Max EUGENE MnLToN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented a certain new and useful Tmprovement in Tennis Court Markers, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to marking devices and particularly to devices for marking tennis courts but obviously a device made in accordance with the invention may be used wherever it is desired to lay out or mark a boundary or other line.

The object of the invention is to provide a device of the kind referred to that will quickly and accurately deposit a stripe of marking material, such as lime or other granular substance, in a layer of substantially uniform width.

An embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification.

In said drawings :Figure 1 is a perspec tive view. Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal sectional view, and, Fig. 3 is a central transverse sectional view.

As shown in the drawings the device comprises a main carriage frame, wheels upon which the device is rolled, a hopper sup ported on the carriage frame, a screen located below the discharge end of the hopper and means for giving the screen a reciprocating motion relatively to the hopper and carriage frame as the device is rolled over the ground.

The carriage frame is designated by the numeral 1. This frame is preferably a rectangular structure having its sides and ends of substantial depth and is provided with a pair of arms 2 extending from its forward end, and flanges or guideways 8 extending inwardly from its sides. The carriage frame, arms, and flanges are shown as an integral structure and are preferably made of cast iron.

The forward end of the carriage is supported on a single guide wheel 4 located in the longitudinal axis of the device. The rear of the carriage is supported on a pair of wheels 5 secured to a crank shaft 6 journaled in the sides of the frame 1.

A hopper 7 to receive the lime is supported on and above the carriage frame by means of standards 8. The hopper 1s provided with a narrow elongated discharge spout 9. A screen frame 10 of substantial Specification 01' Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 25, 1916.

Serial No. 43,411.

depth and somewhat longer and slightly wlder than the hopper is located within the carriage frame and rests freely on the internal flanges 3 thereof. The screen frame is provided with a screen bottom 11. The hopper spout 9 projects within the screen frame and terminates in close proximity to the screen bottom 11. A crank lever or arm 12 is pivotally connected to the screen frame 10 and to the crank shaft 6. The device may be provided at its forward end with a guide or pointer 13 of angular form piv otally secured to the arms 2 and having its apex in the longitudinal axis of the frame. An appropriate handle, as 14, is also provided for driving the device. It is also found advantageous to place a series of hard balls or marbles in the hopper spout and resting on the screen.

In first marking a court it is the usual practice to lay out a cord on the proposed boundary lines. The location of the desired line being thus indicated and the hopper supplied with the marking material. the device is placed with its longitudinal axis over the cord with the apex of the guide 13 coim ciding therewith. The device is then moved over the cord, whereupon the rotation of the rear wheels 5 and the crank shaft 6 drives the link 7 causing the screen frame to reciprocate and sift the marking material in a narrow stripe through the screen and upon the pie-determined line. It is found that the balls within the hopper spout assist materially in effecting the free flow of the marking material. By making the sides and ends of the carriage frame and screen frame of substantial depth, as shown, the discharged material is well protected from wind. The device may be moved over the court without marking line by raising the rear wheels from the ground and rolling the device on the front wheels. Also the pivoted guide 13 afiords a convenient handle in connection with the handle 14 for carrying the device about.

What I claim is 1. In a marker for tennis courts, the combination of a wheel supported frame, a hop per supported on said frame in fixed rela tion thereto, said hopper having a narrow discharge opening extending longitudinally the line of travel and located in proximity to the surface to be marked, a screen located beneath and closely adjacent said discharge openin and adapted to be reciprocated longitudinally thereof, guides on said frame parallel with said discharge opening for supporting and guiding said screen, and means for automatically reciprocating said screen When the device is moved on its Wheels.

2. In a marker for tennis courts, the combination of a Wheel supported frame, a hopper supported on said frame in fixed relation thereto, said'hopper having a narrow discharge opening extending longitudinally the line of travel and located in proximity to the surface to be marked, guides on said frame parallel With said discharge opening, a screen supported by said guides beneath and closely adjacent said discharge opening and adapted to be reciprocated longitudinally of said opening, a frame for said screen surrounding the discharge end of the hopper and extending a substantial distance above the discharge opening thereof, and means for automatically reciprocating said frame when the device is moved on its Wheels.

MAX EUGENE MELTON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Batents, Washington, D. 0." 

